From strolling through a forest of giant old-growth redwoods to walking around Roosevelt elk-inhabited prairies and hiking along pristine coastline, these amazing hikes in Redwood National and State Parks allow you to explore the various landscapes of this UNESCO-protected parks complex in Northern California.
Virgin Islands National Park encompasses a large part of the island of St. John, one of the three main U.S. Virgin Islands, which is dotted with numerous fascinating historic sites and plantation ruins. In the course of its history, the island has gone through times of displacement of its original inhabitants, European colonization, and slavery…
From spring through fall, visiting the historic orchards in Fruita is one of the highlights of Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. While spring brings beautiful blossoms, summer and fall offer fun fruit picking in the Capitol Reef orchards. This handy blossoms and fruit harvest calendar might help you plan your trip.
This news story about the first grizzly sighting in Yellowstone of 2024 is based on a March 13, 2024, National Park Service press release. You can read the original release here. Early March is usually when the first grizzly bears begin emerging from hibernation in Yellowstone National Park. This was also the case this year,…
Besides lounging on breathtaking beaches and snorkeling in coral reefs, another popular thing to do in Virgin Islands National Park is hiking. When I visited the park in January, I spent a significant amount of time exploring its many scenic trails, which allowed me to learn more about its history, bask in beautiful natural scenery,…
This news story about a crocodile attack at Flamingo in Everglades National Park is based on a March 11, 2024, National Park Service press release. You can read the original release here. Everglades National Park in south Florida is one of the best parks to observe a variety of animals in their natural habitat. From…
Preserving many of America’s most iconic, spectacular and vulnerable landscapes and ecosystems, the national parks are an integral part of the nation’s identity. They attract visitors from across the country and from abroad, provide outdoor recreation opportunities to tourists and locals alike, protect cultural, archaeological, natural and historical resources, and offer a refuge to wildlife….
Wind blows through your hair while sun rays hit your scalp. Your favorite music streams from your car’s speaker boxes. Open views of the Shenandoah Valley alternate with thick forest scenery. As you zoom past yet another spectacular viewpoint, a deer scurries back into the brush. If you’re lucky, you might even spot one of Shenandoah National Park’s black bears.
One of America’s most tropical national parks, Virgin Islands National Park is as close to an island paradise as you can find without leaving the country. Encompassing a large part of the island of St. John, the park is also more than 40% water. In fact, one of the main reasons Virgin Islands National Park…
Iconic Joshua trees stand tall in a desert landscape dominated by huge jumbles of rock. Arid hills form a remarkable backdrop. Blue skies offer a stark contrast to the yellows, browns and greens of this unique scenery. Roadrunners scurry across the sandy desert floors while ravens circle overhead.
After the relatively quiet winter months, March is the first month of the year where visitation visibly starts to rise across the National Park System. Some parks are at their busiest this time of year, while others are still much less crowded than in the busy summer season. Most parks, though, have significantly higher visitation…
This news story about 2023 national parks visitation numbers is based on a February 22, 2024, National Park Service press release. You can read the original release here. National parks have been popular destinations for many decades, with the most iconic parks taking up the lion’s share of visitors. And with parks like Rocky Mountain,…
In March, millions of flowers spring into bloom in the Southern California desert parks, most notably in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, carpeting the desert floor with all kinds of colors, from white and yellow to purple and blue.
This news story about the opportunity to go kayaking in Death Valley National Park is based on a February 16, 2024, National Park Service press release. You can read the original release here. A temporary lake provides a rare opportunity to kayak in the driest place in the United States: Death Valley National Park. “You…